The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1887-11-24
An Old Morse War-Ship.

No OBJECT so thoroughly fascinated
| me in a visit to Norway and Sweden
during the summer of 1882 as the
splendid example of ancient shipping
discovered shortly before at Gokstad,
on one of the peninsulas of Southern
Norway.
The length from stem to stern over
all is 7S feet (23.80 metres). the keel
| alone measuring 81 feet (20.10 me-
tres). The breadth of beam is 16@ feet
(5.lo metres), and the depth about 4
feet (1.20 metres). Oak alone was
used in the construction, the body be-
ing unpainted, while the stem and
stern posts were decorated. The planks
were laid on over the frame timbers in
our lapstreak style, each overlappin G
the one below it, and were fastened
together with iron bolts riveted and
clinched upon the inside "clinker-
built" as we now call it. The plank
ing was lashed to the frames by means
of projections, with wicker-like cords,
or withes, made from the roots of
| trees; and the seams were calked with
hair OF cattle spun into a cord of three
strands, and this was not driven into
the creyices, but laid in when the
planking was put together.
From this method of construction,
as well as from the character of the
relics found and the use of the vessel
as means of sepulture, Mr. Nicolav-
sen lnfers that it was built during the
later iron age, or between A. ID. 700
and l,OO0. (Ghe early iron age COM
prises the first seven centuries after the
Christian era.) The decorations OF the
trimmings on the PROV, gun-wale and
stern post, the numerous carvings,
both upon the ship and the relies. to-
gether with the handy use of colors,
exhibit very strong influence from
Irish decorative art. For in her palmy
days before the beginning of the eighth
century Ireland outstripped every
other country of Europe in miniature
painting and the ornamentation of
metal and wood This consideration
fixes the date of construction subse-
quent to A. ID. 700.
Its great sharpness of build and fine
sheer gave 10 it n model which does
not suffer IN comparison with that of
the Galatea or the best of the yachts
used on the English coast for sailing in
deep waters 1t had the advantage,
however, OF tlattened bottom amid
ships, which must have secm ID to it
much greater steadiness than the Eng
lish cutters; something, in fact, be-
tween the cutter and the fiat, keelless
boat of the centre-board type-suggest-
ing at once the model of Mr.. Burgess's
latest design, the Volunteer. The pc
culiar method of attaching the rudder
to the side of the stern afforded mani
fest advantages for shipping and un-
shipping. but did not admit of as
prompt an effect as does the adjust
ment Of the modern ruGder. From the
height Of the port holes cut in the sides
to receive tEe oars it is certain that the
oarsmen rode in sitting posture, as
we see them on the Bayeux tapestry
and on the Haggeby stone in Sweden.
Ihe merchant vessels were not fitted
with port holes for oars and had no
flooring OF the beams, so that the COX
stad vessel could only be war ship,
especially as she was fitted for sailing
also, and carried at least three small
boats, indicating a large crew. Be-
sides trader would never have been
thought of for burial. 1t was without
doubt, then, individual property be-
longing to some prominent chieftain,
and must have carried from seventy
70 eighty men, for the fragments indi-
cate that there were thirty-two shields
and sixteen pairs of oars, and as two
men were necessary to handle one oar
Of this size the roWers alone must have
been siXty-four in number-FrOna
ScrtbHerS.